Video picture information delivering apparatus and receiving apparatus

ABSTRACT

A video picture information delivering apparatus delivers moving pictures according to a request from a terminal device. The apparatus comprises a determining unit for determining whether or not a predetermined particular picture is included in some of moving pictures to be skipped, upon receipt of a request to skip the some of the moving pictures; and a transmitting unit for transmitting to the terminal device associated information corresponding to the particular picture along with the moving pictures after being skipped, if the particular picture is included in the some of the skipped moving pictures.

CROSS REFERENCE

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/940,847, filed Sep. 15, 2004, now pending, which is a continuation ofInternational application No. PCT/JP02/02477, filed on Mar. 15, 2002,both of which are incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a system delivering video pictureinformation, and more particularly, to a delivering apparatus deliveringvideo picture information according to a request from a user, areceiving apparatus receiving video picture information delivered from aserver device, and a storing device receiving and storing video pictureinformation.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, a video picture information delivering systemdelivering video contents according to a request of a user from a serverdevice, which stores video picture information, via a network hasstarted to widespread. Such a system is generally called a VOD (Video onDemand) system.

In the above described video picture delivering system, a terminaldevice which receives and displays video picture information normallycomprises a function for making a request to make special reproduction(skip, fast forward playback, pause, etc. of moving pictures) inaddition to a function for making a request to deliver moving picturesto the server device. In the meantime, the server device reads from thestoring device video contents corresponding to the request from theuser, and delivers the read contents to the terminal device of the useras shown in FIG. 1. Here, this server device comprises a function forskipping a moving picture, or for halting the delivery of movingpictures according to a request of a user.

Incidentally, a video picture desired to be securely viewed by a user isoften inserted in video picture information delivered by the abovedescribed system. For example, a video picture of an advertisement of asponsor of the video picture information is inserted in the deliveredvideo picture information. However, a user often skips the video pictureof the advertisement by using the above described special reproductionfunction when reproducing the received video picture information. Here,if the video picture of the advertisement is not viewed by the user, itis expected that the sponsor will not offer funds for producing videocontents in the current business model. Namely, good-quality programscan possibly decrease.

For this reason, various methods are proposed to avoid such a situation.For example, a configuration having a function for prohibiting the skipof a video picture portion of an advertisement, a configuration forcharging an extra fee when the video picture portion of theadvertisement is skipped, and the like are proposed.

However, there is a possibility that these methods are notuser-friendly, or not accepted by users.

This problem can occur not only in a video picture informationdelivering system such as a VOD system, etc. but also in a case wherevideo picture information received by a normal TV tuner, etc. is storedonto a storage medium, and the stored video picture information isreproduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for securelymaking a user view particular information (especially, advertisementinformation), which is included in delivered video contents, in a systemwhere video picture information is delivered.

A video picture information delivering apparatus according to thepresent invention delivers moving pictures according to a request from aterminal device. This apparatus comprises: a determining unit fordetermining whether or not a predetermined particular picture isincluded in some of moving pictures to be skipped, upon receipt of arequest to skip the some of the moving pictures; and a transmitting unitfor transmitting associated information corresponding to the particularpicture along with the moving pictures after being skipped if theparticular picture is included in the some of the moving pictures to beskipped.

If this video picture delivering apparatus is used in the video picturedelivering system, and the particular picture is skipped, associatedinformation corresponding to the particular picture is transmitted tothe terminal device. Accordingly, even if the particular picture isskipped, the associated information corresponding to the particularpicture is displayed on the terminal device. Namely, it is possible tomake a user securely view the information associated with the particularpicture.

This video picture information delivering apparatus may be configured tofurther comprise a storing unit for storing the associated information,and a combining unit for combining the moving pictures after beingskipped and the associated information stored in the storing unit. Inthis case, the transmitting unit transmits the pictures combined by thecombining unit to the terminal device. With this configuration, themoving pictures after being skipped, in which the associated informationis embedded, can be displayed on the terminal device.

Or, this video picture information delivering apparatus may beconfigured to further comprise a storing unit for storing the abovedescribed associated information, wherein the transmitting unit maymultiplex the moving pictures after being skipped and the associatedinformation, and transmit the multiplexed pictures to the terminaldevice. In this case, the moving pictures after being skipped and theassociated information are combined and displayed by the terminaldevice.

A video picture information receiving apparatus according to the presentinvention is used to receive moving pictures from a server device in asystem where the moving pictures are delivered from the server deviceaccording to a request from a user. This apparatus comprises: arequesting unit for transmitting a request to skip some of the movingpictures to the server device; an obtaining unit for obtainingassociated information corresponding to a predetermined particularpicture if the particular picture is included in the some of the movingpictures to be skipped; and a displaying unit for making the displaydevice display the moving pictures after being skipped and theassociated information.

With this video picture information receiving apparatus, associatedinformation corresponding to a particular picture is received from theserver device, etc. if the particular picture is skipped. Accordingly,the associated information corresponding to the particular picture canbe displayed on the display device even if the particular picture isskipped. Namely, it is possible to make a user securely view theinformation associated with the particular picture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic showing basic functions of a server device;

FIG. 2 is a schematic showing a configuration of a video pictureinformation delivering system;

FIG. 3 is a schematic showing the structure of video data of MPEG;

FIG. 4 is a schematic showing the structure of audio data of MPEG;

FIG. 5 is a schematic showing the structure of a pack when video dataand audio data are stored;

FIG. 6 is a schematic showing a configuration of a server deviceaccording to a first embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing video contents stored in theserver device;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are schematic diagrams showing moving picture deliveryoperations when a skip request is input;

FIG. 9 is a schematic explaining the operations of the server device;

FIG. 10 shows one example of the operations of a transmitting unitprovided in the server device;

FIGS. 11A and 11B respectively show an example of an arrangement of amain part picture and associated information;

FIG. 12 is a schematic showing a modification example of the serverdevice according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a schematic showing a principle part of the server device,which transmits associated information corresponding to an attribute ofa user to a user terminal;

FIG. 14 is a schematic showing a configuration of a transmitting unit ofa server device used in a second embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a schematic showing a configuration of a user terminal usedin the second embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a schematic showing a user request, and the state of datadelivery according to the request;

FIG. 17 is a schematic showing a configuration of a user terminal usedin a third embodiment; and

FIG. 18 is a schematic showing a configuration of a storing devicereceiving and storing moving picture data.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments according to the present invention are describedhereinafter.

FIG. 2 is a schematic showing a configuration of a video pictureinformation delivering system. In this system, a user terminal 10 isconnected to a server device 20 via a network, and makes a request todeliver moving pictures to the server device 20. Here, the network maybe a public network or a private network. Additionally, part or thewhole of the network maybe a wireless network. Furthermore,communications protocols are not particularly limited. In the meantime,the server device 20 delivers the moving pictures according to therequest from the user terminal 10.

The user terminal 10 comprises a requesting unit 11 transmitting arequest from a user to the server device 20, and a reproducing unit 12reproducing moving picture data received from the server device 20.Here, the request from the user includes “playback”, “pause”,“fast-forward playback”, “skip”, etc. Furthermore, the user terminal 10comprises a display device 13 displaying the moving pictures deliveredfrom the server device 20.

The server device 20 comprises an accepting unit 21, a storing device22, a controlling unit 23, and a transmitting unit 24. The acceptingunit 22 accepts a user request transmitted from the user terminal 10.The storing device 22 stores moving picture data of video pictureinformation to be delivered to the user terminal 10. The controllingunit 23 reads corresponding moving picture data from the storing device22 according to the user request accepted by the accepting unit 21. Thetransmitting unit 24 transmits to the user terminal 10 the movingpicture data that the controlling unit 23 reads from the storing device22.

With the above described configuration, the user transmits a request tothe server device 20 by using the user terminal 10, whereby he or shecan receive and view desired video contents.

Moving picture data (including audio data) stored in the storing device22 is not particularly limited. However, the moving picture data isassumed to conform, for example, to the specifications stipulated byMPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group).

FIG. 3 is a schematic showing the structure of video data of MPEG. Thevideo data of MPEG is configured by a sequence header (SH), and a groupof pictures (GOP) succeeding thereto. At its end, a sequence end code(SEC) is provided. Each of groups of pictures (GOPs) includes aplurality of pictures. Fundamentally, each of the groups of pictures(GOPs) includes an I picture (intra-frame coded picture), a P picture(inter-frame forward predictive coded picture), and a B picture(inter-frame bidirectional predictive coded picture).

Each piece of picture data is configured by a plurality of slices, eachof which is configured by a plurality of macro blocks (MBs). Each of themacro blocks (MBs) is configured by a brightness signal (Y), and colordifference signals (Cb,Cr). The brightness signal (Y) is configured byfour 8×8 blocks, whereas each of the color difference signals (Cb,Cr) isconfigured by one 8×8 block.

An access to the above described video data is fundamentally made inunits of groups of pictures (GOPs). Additionally, moving picture data iscompressed with a discrete cosine transform (DCT), quantization,variable encoding, etc. in units of the above described 8×8 blocks.

FIG. 4 is a schematic showing the structure of audio data of MPEG. Theaudio data of MPEG is configured by AAUs (Audio Access Units) each ofwhich is created for each frame. The AAU is a minimum unit that can bedecoded into an audio signal, and includes data of a predeterminednumber of samples (384 samples). The AAU is configured by a header, anerror check (EC), and audio data. Here, the error check (EC) is, forexample, a 16-bit CRC. However, this is not an essential element.Additionally, the audio data is configured by an allocation, a scalefactor, and samples. The allocation is bit allocation information. Thescale factor indicates a magnification when the waveform of each channelis reproduced. The samples are encoded sampling data.

The above described video data is put into packets in units of picturesof GOPs, whereas the audio data is put into packets in units of AAUs. Aplurality of video packets or audio packets are bound, whereby a “pack”is configured as shown in FIG. 5.

To each pack, a pack header and a system header are attached. Here, thepack header includes an SCR (System Clock Reference) which represents areference time when moving picture data is reproduced. In the meantime,the system header includes information which indicates a bit rate,information which indicates the number of video channels/audio channels,and the like.

When video data and audio data, which have the above describedconfigurations, are stored in the storing device 22, a table whichmanages a correspondence between the SCR of each pack and a storageaddress is created. when moving picture data is read from the storingdevice 22, that table is referenced.

Additionally, a time stamp which indicates reproduction timing is addedto moving picture data. Specifically, for example, a PTS (PresentationTime Stamp) for managing the time of a reproduction output, and a DTS(Decoding Time Stamp) for managing the time of decoding are added foreach frame of the video data.

Specific embodiments of the video picture information delivering systemaccording to the present invention are described below.

First Embodiment

In the first embodiment, whether or not an advertisement picture isincluded in moving pictures to be skipped is examined when some ofmoving pictures are skipped according to a user request. If theadvertisement picture is included in the moving pictures to be skipped,associated information corresponding to the skipped advertisementpicture is displayed on a display device 13 when the moving picturesafter being skipped are displayed on the display device 13 of the userterminal 10. Here, the associated information is information associatedwith the advertisement picture which is inserted in the moving picturesdelivered to the user terminal 10. The associated information may becharacter data, still picture data, or moving picture data.Additionally, the associated information is fundamentally configured bycharacter information or picture information, which is obtained bysimplifying the contents of the corresponding advertisement picture. Forexample, associated information corresponding to an advertisementpicture of a certain sweet is configured by information which indicatesthe name of a company making the sweet, information which indicates thename of the sweet, information which indicates the feature or the salepoint of the sweet, and the like.

FIG. 6 is a schematic showing the configuration of the server device 20in the first embodiment. The server device 20 reads moving picture dataof corresponding video contents from a video contents storing device 31according to a request from a user, and delivers the read data to theuser terminal 10. Here, the video contents storing device 31 may beimplemented as part of the server device 20, or a device independent ofthe server device 20. Additionally, the video contents storing device 31stores moving picture data of video contents to be delivered to the userterminal 10. Here, the video contents to be delivered to the userterminal 10 are configured by main part pictures and advertisementpictures (CMs) as shown in FIG. 7. Video contents stored in the videocontents storing device 31 are sometimes referred to as original videopictures or original pictures.

The request from the user includes at least information which identifiesthe user or the user terminal 10, and information which represents thecontents of the request. Here, the server device 20 accepts at least aplayback request, a pause request, a fast-forward request, and a skiprequest. Namely, the user terminal 10 can make the user select at leastan arbitrary request of “playback”, “pause”, “fast-forward playback”,and “skip”.

The request from the user is accepted by the accepting unit 21. Then, anaccepting unit 21 analyzes the received user request, and notifies aread controlling unit 32 of its result. Here, if the user makes the“playback” request, the read controlling unit 32 reads the movingpicture data of the specified video contents from the video contentsstoring device 31. Then, a transmitting unit 24 transmits the movingpicture data to the user terminal 10. As a result, the moving picturesdelivered from the server device 20 are displayed on a display device 13of the user terminal 10. For example, if the video contents shown inFIG. 7 are delivered to the user terminal 10, video pictures in whichadvertisement pictures are inserted are displayed on the display device13.

Or, if the user makes the “skip” request while the moving pictures arebeing displayed on the display device 13, that request is accepted bythe accepting unit 21. Then, the accepting unit 21 detects a skip starttime and a skip end time, and notifies the read controlling unit 32 anda determining unit 33 of its results. In this case, the read controllingunit 32 reads moving picture data after the skip end time withoutreading moving picture data from the skip start time until the skip endtime, after reading moving picture data up to the skip start time. Inthe meantime, the determining unit 33 examines whether or not anadvertisement picture is included during the time period from the skipstart time to the skip end time. Then, if the advertisement picture isincluded during that time period, the determining unit 33 readsassociated information corresponding to the skipped advertisementpicture from an associated information storing unit 34, and passes theread information to the transmitting unit 24.

Upon receipt of the associated information from the determining unit 33,the transmitting unit 24 generates a combined picture which includes themoving pictures after being skipped and the associated information, andtransmits the combined pictures to the user terminal 10.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are schematic diagrams showing moving picture deliveryoperations when the skip request is input. Here, assume that originalvideo pictures stored in the video contents storing device 31 areconfigured by a picture A, a picture B, a picture C, . . . , a pictureH, a picture I, a picture J . . . . Also assume that the picture G is anadvertisement picture and a moving picture for a predetermined timeperiod (by way of example, 60 seconds).

When a request to skip the pictures D and E is input in FIG. 8A, theread controlling unit 32 skips the pictures D and E and reads thepictures G through J after reading the pictures A through C. Since theadvertisement picture is not included in the moving pictures specifiedby the skip request at this time, the determining unit 33 notifies thetransmitting unit 24 that the advertisement picture is not included.Then, the transmitting unit 24 transmits the pictures A through C and Gthrough J, which are read by the read controlling unit 32, to the userterminal 10. Accordingly, the pictures G through J are displayed insuccession to the pictures A through C on the display device 13 of theuser terminal 10 in this case.

In the meantime, when a request to skip the picture G is input in FIG.8B, the read controlling unit 32 skips the picture G and reads thepictures H through J after reading the pictures A through F. Since theadvertisement picture is included in the moving picture specified by theskip request, the determining unit 33 reads associated information g,which corresponds to the picture G, from the associated informationstoring unit 34, and passes the read information to the transmittingunit 24.

Upon receipt of the associated information g, the transmitting unit 24combines an original picture and the associated information g atpredetermined timing after the skip. In the example shown in FIG. 8B,the associated information g is combined with the original pictureimmediately after the picture skip is terminated. Namely, the combinedpicture configured by the picture H and the associated information g isgenerated. Accordingly, in this case, when the moving pictures aredisplayed on the display device 13, the combined picture which includesthe picture H and the associated information g is displayed at timingwhen the picture H is to be displayed.

As described above, in the video picture information delivering systemaccording to the first embodiment, if an advertisement picture isskipped by a user, information associated with the advertisement pictureis displayed on the user terminal along with the pictures after beingskipped. Accordingly, a provider (or a sponsor) of the pictures can makea user securely view information associated with the advertisementpicture, even if the advertisement picture is skipped. In the meantime,the user can skip the moving picture at desired timing without payingany extra cost.

Note that the skip request is input by the user, for example, with theuse of a skip button comprised by the user terminal 10. If the userdesires to skip some of the moving pictures in this case, he or shepresses (or clicks) the skip button. Additionally, a “time period duringwhich a moving picture is skipped” is specified, for example, by a timeduring which the skip button continues to be pressed, or by the numberof times that the skip button is repeatedly pressed. Or, the “timeperiod during which a moving picture is skipped” may be directlyspecified by using a keyboard, etc.

When the skip request is input from the user, the user terminal 10calculates the “skip start time” and the “skip end time”. Here, the“skip start time” is, for example, a time at which the skip button ispressed by the user. In the meantime, the “skip end time” is a timeelapsed from the “skip start time” for the “time period during which amoving picture is skipped”. These times are measured by using thebeginning of the moving pictures displayed on the display device 13 as areference. Or, these times may be obtained, for example, by using theabove described SCR, PTS, DTS, etc. Then, the user terminal 10 transmitsthe “skip start time” and the “skip end time” to the server device 20 asthe skip request. As a result, the server device 20 can recognize a timedomain during which the moving picture is to be skipped. Note that the“skip start time” and the “skip end time” may be calculated by theserver device 20.

FIG. 9 is a schematic explaining the operations of the server device 20.In FIG. 9, the determining unit 33 comprises a table for managingadvertisement pictures inserted in original video pictures. Here, tothis table, appearance times (the start time and the end time) of eachof advertisement pictures, and a pointer pointing to a location whereassociated information is stored are registered. In the associatedinformation storing unit 34, associated information corresponding toeach of the advertisement pictures is stored. The storage addresses ofthe associated information are registered to the above described table.

In the implementation example shown in FIG. 9, the server device 20receives the skip request from the user terminal 10 while the movingpictures are being delivered from the server device 20 to the userterminal 10. Here, assume that this skip request specifies “skip starttime=0:20:00, skip end time=0:21:00”.

The above described skip request is accepted and analyzed by theaccepting unit 21. Then, the accepting unit 21 generates skip timeinformation, and notifies the read controlling unit 34 and thedetermining unit 33 of the generated skip time information. Here, theskip time information is configured by the “skip start time”, and the“skip end time”.

When the skip time information is provided, the read controlling unit 32reads moving picture data from the video contents storing device 31according to the information. Namely, the read controlling unit 32 skipsthe domain corresponding to “0:20:00 to 0:21:00” when reading the movingpicture data from the video contents storing device 31.

In the meantime, the determining unit 33 examines whether or not anadvertisement picture is included in the moving pictures skipped by theuser by referencing the above described table. In this example, anadvertisement picture, which is registered to the second record in thetable shown in FIG. 9, is included in the moving pictures skipped by theuser. Accordingly, a pointer B corresponding to the advertisementpicture is obtained in this case. Then, the determining unit 33 extractscorresponding associated information from the associated informationstoring unit 34 by using the pointer B, and passes the extractedinformation to the transmitting unit 24.

The transmitting unit 24 transmits the moving pictures read by the readcontrolling unit 32 to the user terminal 10, and also transmits theassociated information to the user terminal 10 if the associatedinformation is provided from the determining unit 33. Operations of thetransmitting unit 24 are described below with reference to FIG. 10.

The transmitting unit 24 first decodes the moving picture data afterbeing skipped, which is read by the read controlling unit 32. As aresult, respective frames of the moving pictures after being skipped aregenerated. That is, for example, bitmap data of the respective framesconfiguring the moving pictures after being skipped is generated. Atthis time, the transmitting unit 24 decodes only the moving picture dataof the time period corresponding to the display time of the associatedinformation provided from the determining unit 33. For example, if thetime during which the associated information is to be displayed is 30seconds, the transmitting unit 24 decodes the moving picture data for 30seconds.

Then, the transmitting unit 24 reduces the pictures of the respectiveframes configuring the reproduced moving pictures. Here, a process forreducing a picture can be implemented with a known technique. Then, acombined picture that is configured by a reduced picture and associatedinformation is generated. At this time, the associated information isarranged in a marginal region obtained by reducing an original picture.Hereafter, the transmitting unit 24 encodes the combined picture that isconfigured by the original picture and the associated information, andtransmits the encoded picture data to the user terminal 10.

The arrangement of the original picture and the associated informationis not particularly limited. However, for example, a layout is made sothat the associated information is arranged at a top end, a bottom end,a right end, or a left end of a frame or in any of its corners. Forinstance, an example shown in FIG. 11A depicts a case where associatedinformation (picture information) is arranged in a lower left region ofa frame. In the meantime, an example shown in FIG. 11B depicts a casewhere associated information (character information) is arranged in abottom end region of a frame.

In the above described implementation examples, the associatedinformation is arranged in the marginal region obtained by reducing theoriginal picture. However, the present invention is not limited to thisimplementation. Namely, associated information may be displayed, forexample, to overwrite an original picture without reducing the originalpicture.

Additionally, in the example shown in FIG. 10, the original picture andthe associated information are combined in the server device 20 when theadvertisement picture is skipped. However, moving picture data of acombined picture which includes the original picture and the associatedinformation may be prepared in advance. In this case, a combined picturestoring unit 35 is provided as a replacement for the associatedinformation storing unit 34 as shown in FIG. 12. Here, in the combinedpicture storing unit 35, for example, moving picture data of a combinedpicture which is configured by an original picture and associatedinformation is stored. Additionally, the transmitting unit 24 comprisesa selecting unit 36 selecting either moving picture data read by theread controlling unit 32 or moving picture data read from the combinedpicture storing unit 35. Here, the selecting unit 36 selects one of themoving picture data according to an instruction from the determiningunit 33. Namely, the selecting unit 36 selects and outputs the movingpicture data read by the read controlling unit 32 in normal times,however selects and outputs the moving picture data read from thecombined picture storing unit 35 when an advertisement picture isskipped.

With this configuration, it is possible to make a user view associatedinformation corresponding to a skipped advertisement picture withoutexecuting the series of processes shown in FIG. 10 (the process forreproducing an original picture, the process for reducing the reproducedoriginal picture, the process for combining the reduced original pictureand associated information, and the process for encoding the generatedcombined picture), when the advertisement picture is skipped. Namely,the load imposed on the server device 20 is lightened.

In the meantime, associated information transmitted to the user terminal10 when an advertisement picture is skipped is allowed to vary by user.Namely, a plurality of items of associated information are prepared foreach advertisement picture, and a suitable item of associatedinformation may be selected according to an attribute of a user (such asthe age, the gender, the family structure, etc. of the user), andtransmitted to the user terminal 10.

FIG. 13 is a schematic showing a configuration for transmitting asuitable item of associated information for each user. In FIG. 13, thedetermining unit 33 comprises a table for storing a correspondencebetween the ID of each user and his or her attribute. Here, theattribute of each user is assumed to be registered in advance.Furthermore, a plurality of items of associated information are storedin the associated information storing unit 34 for each advertisementpicture.

In the above described configuration, the skip request includes a userID and skip time information. In the example shown in FIG. 13, a pointerB is obtained based on the skip time information, and an attribute y isobtained based on the user ID. In this case, the determining unit 33extracts associated information By from the associated informationstoring unit 34. Then, the associated information thus extracted istransmitted to the user terminal 10.

Accordingly, if the configuration shown in FIG. 13 is introduced,effective associated information can be transmitted to a user who viewsvideo contents, whereby an advertisement effect is improved.

As described above, in the video picture information delivering systemaccording to the first embodiment, combined pictures, which are obtainedby embedding associated information corresponding to a skippedadvertisement picture in moving pictures after being skipped, aregenerated by the server device 20. Then, the combined pictures aredelivered to the user terminal 10. Accordingly, the user terminal 10decodes the received data, whereby moving pictures including theassociated information can be reproduced. Namely, the user terminal 10does not need to be provided with a special function for displayingassociated information.

Second Embodiment

As described above, in the first embodiment, combined picturesconfigured by original pictures after being skipped and associatedinformation are generated by the server device 20, and the combinedpictures are transmitted to the user terminal 20. In the meantime, inthe second embodiment, associated information corresponding to a skippedadvertisement picture is transmitted to the user terminal 10 separatelyfrom original pictures. Then, the original pictures and the associatedinformation are combined by the user terminal 10, and displayed on thedisplay device 13.

A configuration of a server device used in a video picture informationdelivering system in the second embodiment is fundamentally the same asthat of the server device used in the first embodiment. That is, alsothe server device in the second embodiment comprises the accepting unit21, the read controlling unit 32, the determining unit 33, and theassociated information storing unit 34, which are shown in FIG. 6. Whenan advertisement picture is skipped, associated informationcorresponding to the advertisement picture is extracted from theassociated information storing unit 34. However, a transmitting unitcomprised by the server device 20 in the second embodiment is differentfrom that in the above described first embodiment.

The transmitting unit of the server device in the second embodimentcomprises a contents transmitting unit 41, an associated informationtransmitting unit 42, and a synchronizing unit 43 as shown in FIG. 14.Here, the contents transmitting unit 41 transmits moving picture dataread by the read controlling unit 32 to the user terminal 10 by using apredetermined port (#0). In the meantime, the associated informationtransmitting unit 42 transmits associated information to the userterminal 10 by using a predetermined port (#1) when the associatedinformation is provided from the determining unit 33. The moving picturedata and the associated information are multiplexed with channelmultiplexing, and transmitted to the user terminal 10. These ports arespecified, for example, with port numbers of TCP/IP. Additionally,synchronization between the moving picture data and the associatedinformation is established by the synchronizing unit 43.

Note that the moving picture data and the associated information may bemultiplexed with another method. Namely, the moving picture data and theassociated information may be multiplexed, for example, withtime-division multiplexing.

If an advertisement picture inserted in delivered video contents isskipped as described above, associated information corresponding to theadvertisement picture is transmitted from the server device 20 to theuser terminal 10. However, in the second embodiment, original picturesand associated information are not combined by the server device 20, andmoving picture data and the associated information are multiplexed andtransmitted to the user terminal 10. Accordingly, the user terminal 10must comprise a function for extracting associated information fromreceived data, and for displaying the extracted information on thedisplay device 13.

FIG. 15 is a schematic showing a configuration of the user terminal 10used in the second embodiment. The user terminal 10 in the secondembodiment comprises a request controlling unit 51, a demultiplexingunit 52, a time information extracting unit 53, a decoding unit 54, anassociated information receiving unit 55, and a display controlling unit56. The user terminal 10 comprises, as basic functions, a function formaking a request to deliver video picture information to the serverdevice 20, a function for receiving moving picture data from the serverdevice 20, a function for reproducing moving pictures from the receivedmoving picture data and for displaying the reproduced moving pictures onthe display device 13, and a function for transmitting a user request tothe server device 20. Also the user terminal in the first embodimentcomprises these basic functions.

The request controlling unit 51 analyzes a user input, and creates auser request. Here, the user input means that, for example, a playbackbutton, a pause button, a fast-forward button, a skip button, a keyinput button, etc. is operated by a user. The request controlling unit51 transmits the created user request to the server device 20. If anadvertisement picture is skipped by the user request at this time, theserver device 20 transmits associated information corresponding to theskipped advertisement picture to the user terminal 10.

FIG. 16 shows the user request and data delivery according to the userrequest. The user terminal 10 transmits the playback request to theserver device 20 according to an instruction from a user. Upon receiptof the playback request, the server device 20 starts to transmit movingpicture data specified by the playback request. If the skip request isprovided from the user while the moving picture data is being delivered,the user terminal 10 notifies the server device 20 of the skip starttime and the skip end time. If an advertisement picture is skipped atthis time, the server device 20 transmits associated informationcorresponding to the skipped advertisement picture to the user terminal10 along with the moving picture data after being skipped.

Note that the data stream of the moving pictures delivered from theserver device 20 to the user terminal 10 is assumed to be configured byencoded video data and encoded audio data. Furthermore, time informationis added to this data stream of the moving pictures.

The demultiplexing unit 52 extracts moving picture data and associatedinformation from received data. Specifically, if the moving picture dataand the associated information are respectively transmitted by usingpredetermined ports, the demultiplexing unit 52 transmits the receiveddata via a port allocated to picture data to the decoding unit 54, andalso transmits the received data via a port allocated to associatedinformation to the associated information receiving unit 55. Or, if themoving picture data and the associated information are multiplexed withtime-division multiplexing and transmitted, the demultiplexing unit 52transmits data, which is extracted from a time slot allocated to picturedata, to the decoding unit 54, and also transmits data, which isextracted from a time slot allocated to associated information, to theassociated information receiving unit 55. These processes can beimplemented with a known technique.

The time information extracting unit 53 extracts time information addedto received moving picture data, and transmits the extracted timeinformation to the request controlling unit 51. The decoding unit 54reproduces moving pictures by decoding received moving picture data.Then, the reproduced moving pictures are transmitted to the displaycontrolling unit 56. In the meantime, the associated informationreceiving unit 55 receives associated information if the received dataincludes the associated information.

The display controlling unit 56 creates a picture to be displayed on thedisplay device 13 according to an instruction from the requestcontrolling unit 51. If the associated information receiving unit 55does not receive associated information from the server device 20, thedisplay controlling unit 56 displays the moving pictures reproduced bythe decoding unit 54 on the display device 13. Or, if the associatedinformation receiving unit 55 receives associated information from theserver device 20, the display controlling unit 56 combines the movingpictures reproduced by the decoding unit 54 and the associatedinformation according to timing instructed by the request controllingunit 51, and displays the combined pictures on the display device 13.

The picture combining process executed by the display controlling unit56 is fundamentally the same as that in the server device 20 which isdescribed with reference to FIG. 10. Namely, the picture combiningprocess executed by the display controlling unit 56 is configured by aprocess for reducing each of frames configuring moving picturesreproduced by the decoding unit 54, and a process for arrangingassociated information in a marginal region obtained by reducing amoving picture.

As described above, if an advertisement picture is skipped in the videopicture information delivering system in the second embodiment,associated information corresponding to the skipped advertisementpicture is transmitted from the server device 20 to the user terminal10. Then, the associated information is embedded in the moving picturesafter being skipped, and the they are displayed by the user terminal 10.Accordingly, there is no need to execute the picture combining processin the server device 20, thereby lightening the load imposed on theserver device 20.

Third Embodiment

As described above, in the first and the second embodiments, associatedinformation corresponding to an advertisement picture is transmittedfrom the server device 20 to the user terminal 10 when the advertisementpicture is skipped. In the meantime, in the third embodiment, associatedinformation corresponding to an advertisement picture is prepared in auser terminal 10. If the advertisement picture is skipped, theassociated information held within the user terminal is extracted anddisplayed on the display device 13.

FIG. 17 is a schematic showing a configuration of the user terminal 10used in the third embodiment. In FIG. 17, the request controlling unit51, the time information extracting unit 53, the decoding unit 54, andthe display controlling unit 56 are fundamentally the same as thosedescribed with reference to FIG. 15. Note that, however, the requestcontrolling unit 51 in the third embodiment transmits a user request notonly to the server device 20 but also to an associated informationreading unit 58 when the skip request is input from a user.Additionally, in a video picture information delivering system in thethird embodiment, if the skip request is transmitted to the serverdevice 20 as a user request, the server device 20 does not transmitassociated information corresponding to an advertisement picture to theuser terminal 10 even if the advertisement picture is skipped by theuser request.

The associated information storing unit 57 stores associated informationcorresponding to an advertisement picture included in moving picturesdelivered from the server device 20. Here, the associated information isreceived, for example, collectively from the server device 20 before thedelivery of the moving pictures is started. Namely, if a request todeliver desired video contents is made from the user terminal 10 to theserver device 20, the server device 20 transmits to the user terminal 10associated information corresponding to an advertisement picture, whichis inserted in the specified video contents, and starts to deliver themoving picture data of the specified video contents thereafter.

The associated information reading unit 58 fundamentally comprises thesame function as that of the determining unit 33, which is shown inFIGS. 6 and 9. Namely, the associated information reading unit 58comprises a table for managing information which indicates a time wheneach advertisement picture is inserted, and a pointer pointing to alocation where associated information corresponding to eachadvertisement picture is stored, similar to the determining unit 33shown in FIG. 9. The “information which indicates a time when eachadvertisement picture is inserted,” is obtained, for example, from theserver device 20. Additionally, the “pointer pointing to a locationwhere associated information is stored” is registered when theassociated information received from the server device 20 is written tothe associated information storing unit 57.

Upon receipt of the skip request from the request controlling unit 51,the associated information reading unit 58 references the abovedescribed table, and determines whether or not an advertisement pictureis skipped by a user. If the advertisement picture is skipped, theassociated information reading unit 58 extracts corresponding associatedinformation from the associated information storing unit 57, and passesthe extracted information to the display controlling unit 56.

The display controlling unit 56 displays moving pictures reproduced bythe decoding unit 54 on the display device 13 in normal times.Additionally, if an advertisement picture is skipped, the displaycontrolling unit 56 generates combined pictures which include the movingpictures reproduced by the decoding unit, and the associated informationextracted from the associated information storing unit 57, and displaysthe combined pictures on the display device 13.

As described above, in the video picture information delivering systemin the third embodiment, associated information displayed when anadvertisement picture is skipped is prestored in advance in the userterminal 10. Therefore, the associated information is not transmittedwhile moving picture data is being delivered. Accordingly, the processrelated to the skip request can be made faster.

Fourth Embodiment

As described above, in the first through the third embodiments,associated information corresponding to an advertisement picture isdisplayed on the display device 13 if the advertisement picture isskipped. In the meantime, in the fourth embodiment, if an advertisementpicture is skipped, also the advertisement picture is together displayedwhen moving pictures after being skipped are displayed.

Specifically, upon receipt of the skip request, the server device 20determines whether or not an advertisement picture is included in themoving pictures to be skipped. If the advertisement picture is includedin the moving pictures to be skipped at this time, that advertisementpicture is read from the video contents storing device 31 and held.Then, the moving pictures after being skipped are combined with theadvertisement picture, and the combined pictures are transmitted to theuser terminal 10. Here, this picture combining process is configured bya process for reducing the moving pictures after being skipped, aprocess for reducing an advertisement picture, and a process forcombining these reduced pictures to be suitably arranged. The movingpictures after being skipped and the advertisement picture are arranged,for example, as the layout shown in FIG. 11A.

<Apparatus Receiving and Storing Video Picture Information>

As described above, in the video picture information delivering systemsaccording to the first through the fourth embodiments, moving picturesare delivered from the server device 20 to the user terminal 10according to a request from a user. In contrast, an apparatus recordingTV video pictures, etc., which are broadcast from a broadcastingstation, is described below.

FIG. 18 is a schematic showing a configuration of a storing devicereceiving and storing moving picture data. The moving picture datareceived by this device may be transmitted by using a wireless signal orvia a cable. Additionally, the transmitted moving picture data isassumed to be configured by main part pictures and advertisementpictures as shown in FIG. 7.

A CM checking unit 61 detects an advertisement picture from receivedmoving picture data. A function for detecting an advertisement pictureby identifying a main part picture and the advertisement picture, whichare included in moving picture data, can be implemented with a knowntechnique. An encoding unit 62 encodes received moving picture data witha predetermined encoding method. A time information adding unit 63 addstime information to the moving picture data encoded by the encoding unit62. Then, the moving picture data is stored in a moving picture datastoring unit 64.

A controlling unit 65 detects the start time and the end time of theadvertisement picture detected by the CM checking unit 61. Thecontrolling unit 65 creates a table (equivalent to the table provided inthe determining unit 33 shown in FIG. 9) for managing each advertisementpicture. An associated information generating unit 66 generatesassociated information corresponding to the advertisement picturedetected by the CM checking unit 61. Assume that identificationinformation is assigned to each advertisement picture, and characterinformation corresponding to each advertisement picture is prepared inadvance. In this case, the associated information generating unit 66detects the identification information assigned to the advertisementpicture detected by the CM checking unit 61, and outputs characterinformation corresponding to the identification information. Or, theassociated information generating unit 66 may analyze the contents ofthe advertisement picture detected by the CM checking unit 61 by using apicture recognition technique or a voice recognition technique, and maygenerate corresponding associated information.

A time information adding unit 67 adds time information to associatedinformation. This associated information is stored in an associatedinformation storing unit 68. To the table of the controlling unit 65, apointer pointing to an address at which associated information is storedis registered.

The moving picture data and the associated information, which are storedas described above, are used, for example, by the user terminal 10 shownin FIG. 17. In this case, the moving picture data read from the movingpicture data storing unit 64 is transmitted to the display controllingunit 56 via the time information extracting unit 53, and the decodingunit 54. In the meantime, the associated information storing unit 68shown in FIG. 18 corresponds to the associated information storing unit57 shown in FIG. 17. Namely, if an advertisement picture is skipped by auser, associated information corresponding to the advertisement pictureis read by the associated information reading unit 58, and transmittedto the display controlling unit 56. Then, the display controlling unit56 outputs the picture to be displayed to the display device 13.

In this way, with the above described storing device, it is possible tomake a user view associated information corresponding to anadvertisement picture even if TV video pictures, etc., which arebroadcast from a broadcasting station, are recorded, and theadvertisement picture is skipped when the recorded video pictures arereproduced.

The above described embodiments refer to the configurations whereassociated information corresponding to an advertisement picture isdisplayed when the advertisement picture is skipped. However, thepresent invention is not limited to the case where an advertisementpicture is skipped. Namely, the present invention is applied to aconfiguration where associated information corresponding to a particularpicture is displayed when the predetermined particular picture includedin delivered moving pictures is skipped. Here, the “particularinformation” is, for example, a portion that a distributor or a sponsorof video picture information desires to make a user particularly view.The “associated information” may be any of character information, astill picture, and a moving picture.

Additionally, the above described embodiments refer to theconfigurations where associated information corresponding to anadvertisement picture is displayed when the advertisement picture isskipped. However, the present invention is not limited to the skipprocess. Namely, the present invention is also applied to a case wherean advertisement picture is reproduced with a special reproductionmanner at a user terminal. Here, the “special reproduction manner”includes fast-forward playback. A case where a request of “fast-forwardplayback” is made from a user is described below.

The user terminal 10 comprises a function for accepting a “fast-forwardrequest” from a user. When the fast-forward request is input, the starttime and the end time of a picture to be fast-forwarded is notified tothe server device 20. The basic configuration of the server device 20 isthe same as that shown in FIG. 6 or 9. In this case, however, thedetermining unit 33 examines whether or not an advertisement picture isfast-forwarded instead of examining whether or not an advertisementpicture is skipped. If the advertisement picture is fast-forwarded,associated information corresponding to the advertisement picture istransmitted to the user terminal 10. As described above, if anadvertisement picture is fast-forwarded in the video picture informationdelivering system in this embodiment, associated informationcorresponding to the advertisement picture is displayed on the displaydevice 13.

As described above, according to the present invention, if apredetermined particular picture such as an advertisement, etc. isskipped or reproduced with a special reproduction manner, associatedinformation corresponding to the particular picture is displayed.Accordingly, the information associated with the advertisement can besecurely conveyed to a user. Additionally, the user can skip orreproduce with a special reproduction manner a moving picture at desiredtiming even if the particular picture such as an advertisement, etc. isinserted in delivered moving pictures.

1. A video picture information delivering apparatus for deliveringmoving pictures according to a request from a terminal device,comprising: a determining unit for determining whether or not apredetermined particular picture is included in some of moving picturesto be skipped, upon receipt of a request to skip the some of the movingpictures; and a transmitting unit for transmitting to the terminaldevice associated information corresponding to the particular picturealong with the moving pictures after being skipped, if the particularpicture is included in the some of the skipped moving pictures.
 2. Thevideo picture information delivering apparatus according to claim 1,further comprising: a storing unit for storing the associatedinformation; and a combining unit for combining the moving picturesafter being skipped and the associated information stored in saidstoring unit, wherein said transmitting unit transmits the picturescombined by said combining unit to the terminal device.
 3. The videopicture information delivering apparatus according to claim 2, whereinsaid combining unit reduces the moving pictures after being skipped, andarranges the associated information in a marginal region.
 4. The videopicture information delivering apparatus according to claim 1, furthercomprising a storing unit for storing the associated information,wherein said transmitting unit multiplexes the moving pictures afterbeing skipped and the associated information, and transmits themultiplexed pictures to the terminal device.
 5. The video pictureinformation delivering apparatus according to claim 1, furthercomprising: a user detecting unit for detecting a user who inputs therequest; a storing unit for storing a plurality of items of associatedinformation; and an extracting unit for extracting from said storingunit associated information corresponding to the user detected by saiduser detecting unit, wherein said transmitting unit transmits to theterminal device the associated information extracted by said extractingunit along with the moving pictures after being skipped.
 6. The videopicture information delivering apparatus according to claim 1, whereinthe particular picture is an advertisement picture.
 7. A video pictureinformation delivering apparatus for delivering moving picturesaccording to a request from a terminal device, comprising: a firststoring unit for storing moving pictures configured by a main partpicture and a particular picture; a second storing unit for storing amoving picture which includes associated information corresponding tothe particular picture; a transmitting unit for transmitting movingpictures stored in said first storing unit to the terminal device; and adetermining unit for determining whether or not the particular pictureis included in some of moving pictures to be skipped, upon receipt of arequest to skip the some of the moving pictures, wherein saidtransmitting unit transmits to the terminal device the moving picturestored in said second storing unit as a moving picture after beingskipped if the particular picture is included in the some of the movingpictures to be skipped.
 8. A video picture information deliveringapparatus for delivering moving pictures according to a request from aterminal device, comprising: a determining unit for determining whetheror not a predetermined particular picture is included in some of movingpictures to be specially reproduced, upon receipt of a request tospecially reproduce the some of the moving pictures; and a transmittingunit for transmitting to the terminal device associated informationcorresponding to the particular picture along with the moving picturesafter being specially reproduced, if the particular picture is includedin the some of the moving pictures to be specially reproduced.
 9. Avideo picture information delivering apparatus for delivering movingpictures according to a request from a terminal device, comprising: adetermining unit for determining whether or not a predeterminedparticular picture is included in some of moving pictures to be skipped,upon receipt of a request to skip the some of the moving pictures; and atransmitting unit for combining the moving pictures after being skippedand the particular picture if the particular picture is included in thesome of the moving pictures to be skipped, and transmitting the combinedpictures to the terminal device.
 10. A method for delivering movingpictures according to a request from a terminal device, comprising:determining whether or not a predetermined particular picture isincluded in some of moving pictures to be skipped, upon receipt of arequest to skip the some of the moving pictures; and transmitting to theterminal device associated information corresponding to the particularpicture along with the moving pictures after being skipped, if theparticular picture is included in the some of the moving pictures to beskipped.
 11. A video picture information delivering apparatus fordelivering moving pictures according to a request from a terminaldevice, comprising: determining means for determining whether or not apredetermined particular picture is included in some of moving picturesto be skipped, upon receipt of a request to skip the some of the movingpictures; and transmitting means for transmitting to the terminal deviceassociated information corresponding to the particular picture alongwith the moving pictures after being skipped, if the particular pictureis included in the some of the skipped moving pictures.